Popular YouTuber Jesse Ridgway, known online as McJuggerNuggets, has condemned critics after he and his wife, Ashley Ridgway, received a barrage of hate and vitriol following their difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy due to Trisomy 21, the most common form of Down syndrome. The couple, who married in October 2025 and announced they were expecting their first child in late March, revealed on Thursday that they had made the painful choice to end the pregnancy after receiving a prenatal diagnosis.
Heartbreaking Decision
Ridgway, 33, and his wife, 31, stressed that the choice was not made lightly. We are devastated, Ridgway said in a statement. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley. She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.
Backlash and Death Threats
Shortly after sharing the update, the couple faced severe backlash from pro-life activists who accused them of being murderers and flooded them with death threats. Ridgway expressed shock at the hatred, stating, I have never seen such hate and vitriol for two people grieving the loss of their unborn child and making an impossible decision. The last 24 hours have exposed a side of humanity that is deeply disturbing. He noted that many of the attackers used religion to justify their threats, calling it hypocritical.
Being called murderous pieces of sh*t, evil, compared to Hitler, and receiving non-stop death threats is deeply troubling, Ridgway added. He pointed out that the issue rarely gets discussed publicly due to fear of such backlash. Luckily, after 20 years on the internet, this is par for the course for me, so I am glad I can help further the conversation, he said.
Support and Statistics
Despite the abuse, Ridgway praised his wife as a bad-ass and thanked supporters who defended their choice. In Australia, it is estimated that 60 to 90 per cent of pregnancies with a confirmed prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 end in elective termination. The couple had previously live-streamed their prenatal test results, showing Ashley breaking down in tears as Ridgway comforted her.
The posts amassed thousands of comments on Facebook, with the majority being negative. Ridgway urged for the abuse to stop, but the hate continued.
